Apartment and Office Building Association

What Apartment and Office Building Association does

Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington (AOBA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1974 that serves as the collective voice for the commercial office and multifamily residential real estate industry across Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Its membership collectively represents approximately 166 million square feet of commercial office space and 480,000 residential units. The organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with 11-50 employees and is dually affiliated with BOMA International and the National Apartment Association (NAA), allowing it to deliver nationally-recognized credential programs locally.

AOBA's core products span four functional areas: (1) advocacy and government affairs representation, including policy monitoring, METPAC political action committee activity, utilities testimony across DC/MD/VA jurisdictions, and joint policy statements with peer associations; (2) professional education and credentialing through NAA credential courses (CAM, CAPS, CALP, CAMT, CAS), BOMI designations, fair housing certification, and an online learning platform; (3) signature events and awards programming including annual meeting, golf tournament, commercial awards celebration, holiday party, and recognition programs such as TOBY, K.E.E.P, and Engineer of the Year; and (4) member services including the AOBA Connect online community, member-exclusive job board, and sustainability resources including BOMA BEST certification support. Technology infrastructure is built on Novi AMS association management software, with virtual event and webinar delivery, online credentialing, and a job board platform.

The business model combines recurring company-based membership dues with diversified fee-for-service revenue from credential courses, event registration and sponsorships, job board subscriptions, advertising, and PAC donations. Distribution is primarily direct enterprise membership sales supplemented by regional partnerships with VAMA and MMHA that extend course delivery into adjacent state markets. AOBA also operates AOBA Alliance Inc. as a subsidiary providing low-cost group energy procurement to commercial and multifamily members, adding an operational cost-savings dimension to the value proposition. In March 2025, the affiliated AOBA Educational Foundation was dissolved after seven years due to lack of sustainable funding, with remaining assets granted to the National Association of Power Engineers Educational Foundation.

Name

Apartment and Office Building Association

Legal name

Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington

Website

https://aoba-metro.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Non-profit trade association founded in 1974 serving commercial and multifamily residential real estate owners and managers in the Washington DC metro area, providing advocacy, NAA/BOMA credential education, events, job board services, and energy procurement via AOBA Alliance subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Company-based membership fees for property owners, managers, and suppliers in the multifamily and commercial real estate industry in the DC metro area.
2. Education and Credential Programs: Revenue from professional designation courses including CAM, CAPS, CALP, CAMT, and CAS certifications, plus online learning programs.
3. Events and Sponsorships: Registration fees for conferences, seminars, training events, and sponsorship opportunities at signature events.
4. Job Board: AOBA Member Job Board allows posting open positions for six months, generating revenue from member companies.
5. Advertising and Sponsorships: Advertising opportunities on AOBA platforms and Virginia PAC donations for political advocacy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AOBA is a regional non-profit trade association that delivers company-based membership, government advocacy, professional credential preparation courses (CAM, CAPS, CALP, CAMT, CAS), member events, an online community (AOBA Connect), and a member job board to property owners, managers, and suppliers in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia commercial and multifamily real estate industry. Through its subsidiary AOBA Alliance Inc., it also offers group energy procurement for the commercial building industry.

Product overview

AOBA (Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington) is a trade association serving the commercial and residential real estate industry in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, representing approximately 166 million square feet of commercial office space and 480,000 residential units. The organization operates as a membership-based association providing advocacy representation, professional education and NAA credential preparation courses (CAM, CAPS, CALP, CAMT, CAS), an online member community (AOBA Connect), a member-exclusive job board, events programming, and sustainability resources including BOMA BEST certification support. The organization also facilitates energy procurement through its subsidiary AOBA Alliance Inc. and operates community outreach programs. The association is affiliated with BOMA International and the National Apartment Association (NAA).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AOBA Membership Company-based membership providing advocacy representation, access to member directory, legislative updates, and member-exclusive resources for commercial and residential real estate firms in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.
• Professional Designations and Certifications Education courses and exam preparation for NAA and BOMI credentials, including CAM (Certified Apartment Manager), CAPS (Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor), CALP (Certified Apartment Leasing Professional), CAMT (Certified Apartment Maintenance Technician), and CAS (Certified Apartment Supplier), targeted at multifamily and commercial real estate professionals.
• AOBA Connect Online Community Virtual online community platform enabling AOBA members to interact, learn, and network with other members in the multifamily and commercial real estate industry.
• AOBA Job Board Member-exclusive job board for posting open positions across the multifamily and commercial real estate industry, covering property management, maintenance, operations, leasing, and development roles; members may post jobs for up to six months.
• AOBA Alliance Inc. Energy Procurement Group energy procurement service offered through AOBA Alliance Inc., facilitating low-cost energy purchasing for the commercial building industry, including multifamily apartment buildings in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.
• Events and Signature Events Annual events and signature gatherings for AOBA members, including the Annual Meeting, Annual Golf Tournament, Commercial Award Celebration, Holiday Party, and recurring awards programs such as TOBY (The Outstanding Building of the Year), K.E.E.P, David H. Hillman Maverick, Sidney Glassman Memorial, Engineer of the Year, and Outstanding Associate Member awards.
• Advocacy and Government Affairs Policy advocacy representing commercial and residential real estate industry interests in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, including utilities advocacy, the METPAC political action committee, and government affairs committees.
• Sustainability Resources Sustainability programming and resources for AOBA members, including BOMA BEST certification support for commercial buildings.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AOBA Alliance Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAOBA Alliance Inc. is a subsidiary that facilitates low-cost energy procurement for the commercial building industry, including multifamily apartment buildings. This partnership enables members to access group purchasing power for energy costs.
• BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOMA is an affiliate of AOBA, providing additional resources and industry standards for building owners and managers. AOBA displays BOMA Member Logo on its website.
• NAA (National Apartment Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAA is an affiliate of AOBA, providing national standards, education programs (CAM, CAPS, CALP, CAMT, CAS designations), and the Maintenance Mania competition. AOBA offers NAA credential programs locally.
• GCAAR (Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAOBA and GCAAR issued a joint statement regarding the impact of rent control on county housing production, demonstrating collaborative advocacy on housing policy issues.
• VAMA (Virginia Apartment Management Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVAMA partners with AOBA for fair housing certification courses and the VAMA State Conference. VAMA's Fair Housing course is approved by Virginia DPOR for certification requirements.
• MMHA (Metropolitan Maryland Housing Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMMHA partners with AOBA for fair housing courses and compliance seminars in the Maryland market.
• NAPEEF (National Association of Power Engineers Educational Foundation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAOBA Educational Foundation granted $296,480 to NAPEEF to build two learning labs in Alexandria, VA and Greenbelt, MD before dissolving. This supports building engineering trades training.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BOMA Greater New York: A major regional BOMA affiliate serving one of the largest commercial real estate markets in the U.S. Comparable as a regional trade association delivering advocacy, professional development, and BOMA-aligned programming to office building members.
• Florida Apartment Association: A statewide trade association representing apartment owners and managers in Florida. Comparable as a regional apartment association providing advocacy, education, and networking services to the multifamily industry.
• BOMA Georgia: A regional BOMA chapter serving commercial building owners and managers in the Atlanta metro area. Directly comparable as a regional real estate trade association offering advocacy, education, networking, and awards to commercial property members.
• California Apartment Association: The largest state-level apartment association in the U.S., representing rental housing owners and managers. Comparable as a regional trade association delivering advocacy, education, and member services for the multifamily industry.
• Texas Apartment Association: A statewide trade association for the rental housing industry in Texas. Comparable to AOBA as a state/regional apartment trade association providing legislative advocacy, professional education, and credentialing to multifamily owners and managers.
• BOMA Chicago: A regional BOMA chapter serving commercial real estate owners and managers in the Chicago metro. Comparable to AOBA as a regional real estate trade association providing advocacy, education, awards, and member services for the commercial office sector.

Broad incumbents

• National Apartment Association (NAA): The national trade association for the apartment industry and AOBA's primary affiliate. Directly comparable because AOBA delivers NAA credential programs locally and aligns its multifamily advocacy, education, and awards with NAA standards.
• BOMA International: The international trade association for commercial real estate and AOBA's other primary affiliate. Comparable because AOBA delivers BOMA programs (BOMA BEST, TOBY Awards) locally and represents commercial office owners under BOMA standards.
• NAIOP: The national trade association for commercial real estate developers, owners, and investors. Comparable because it serves a similar commercial real estate membership base with advocacy, education, and networking across overlapping policy issues.
• Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM): An international organization for property and asset managers, part of the National Association of Realtors. Comparable to AOBA in serving property management professionals with credentials, education, and industry resources.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aobametro

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Apartment and Office Building Association